MaybeMisunderstandings
by Kodaa
Summary: An exchange of unreceived letters between Jededaiah and Octavius involving their absences.  Mild slashiness.
1. Chapter 1

Hey, Octie,

What 'xactly, d'ya think you're doin', wandrin' off an' leavin' your men without a leader, an my men with no one t' fight for an entire night? D'ya have somethin' wrong with ya?

Yeah, ya probably do, don'cha?

You know what I think it is?

Stupid.

A big, bad ol' case of goddamned stupid.

So get your fruity Roman ass back here so I can kick it real good, for your men, my men, and myself. You deserve it, Toga-Boy.

'Cause I'll be darned if I didn't look pretty damned stupid waitin' over in yer diorama stand all blasted day, sure as hell you were gonna show up.

-Jed

**-0o0-**

'Ey! Octavius!

Are ya even gettin' these letters? Im'a skin yer men if I find out they've jus' been tellin' me they'll hand 'em to ya!

Seriously, what in tarnation are ya doin? I ain't jokin' with ya, Octavius, I'm gonna beat th' "gods" right outta your skirt-wearin' ass. You'll be just as God-fearin' as my men when I'm done with ya! How 'bout that, huh? Would ya really want that?

This marks 'nother day when ya didn't show up. Your men dunno where ya are, an' they wont tell me which blasted direction ya keep goin so early in th' night. Gigantor's been awful quiet 'bout the whole thing, too.

What in hell are ya thinkin', Partner?

An' what th' hell are ya doin, leavin' my men with nothin' to do?

Are ya avoidin' us?

Or...me? Are ya avoidin' me?

Do ya-I mean, I know good 'n well folks 'round here don't take too kindly to it, but I really coulda sworn...

...Nah, never mind. Goddammit, Octavius, come on back.

-Jededaiah

**-0o0-**

Octavius, Octie, Octagon, c'mon, Partner, please,

Three nights in a row, not a single word from li'l ol' you. An' then there's li'l ol' me, worryi-sittin, I mean-sittin' round with nothin' t' do, while ya parade around somewhere else in the museum, namby-pamby in yer skirt an' without a care in the world; like ya own it or sumthin'.

But, ya know, Octie, I ain't mad no more. Serious. No jokin', partner, really. I'm fine with th' fact that ya were gone fer'a few days; hell, it's a-okay with me. I like gettin' breaks from you an yer skirt-wearin' army. Ya know?

So long as ya come home tomorrow.

An' ya stay home.

At least let me know yer...well, alive! C'mon, partner...

Really, Octie, I mean...Golly, lookit here: Gigantor knows sumthin, yer men know sumthin, an' hell, I'll bet _my_ men know somethin' 'bout yer bein' gone.

You're either..._gone_-which you're not! I know, they'd tell me if ya'd...stayed out past our curfew. I know it. That, or...

Look, if it's 'bout...I mean...

Nah, it ain't, right?

Ya...wouldla talked with me if ya knew. Ya wouldna ran away like a pansy. You're a Roman General, by God! That, an'...well...yer my best pal...

...Right?

-Jed

**-0o0-**

Octavius,

I saw ya leavin' this evenin'. Ya know it, too. Started runnin' like I was Lucifer-or _Pluto_, I guess you'd call 'im-'imself, soon as ya caught wind o' me.

An', hey, ya know what? I'm glad I did.

Now, I know yer alright.

Now I kin stop worryin' an' losin' sleep over ya! Really, it's a blasted load offa my shoulders, that's fer damn sure!

Ya know what else I know, Octavius?

I know we weren't the friends ya made me think we were. If nothin' else, ya made that crystal clear t' me, _bud_. What was that, anyway? It couldna been 'bout that. Goddammit, I know it wasn't 'bout that. You're a man. You're a General. Ya lead an army 'round in _skirts_, an' you'd...jus'...give up on someone fer that? Fer a little crush on another man? That's cowardly, Octavius.

But, what else would it be?

Ya just...disappointed me. I feel like ya lied t' me in th' worst kinda way.

An' I'm _glad _ya did. Don'cha ever git me wrong there. I'd rather know m' enemies than treat 'em like friends, ya hear?

A coward ain't the man I thought I liked. Thanks fer clearin' that up.

An'...

Ya didn't look me in th' eyes before you left. Ya just ran like some fuckin' kid, scared shitless o' gettin' whipped. Ya know that? Ya probably didn't care enough t' notice, but I did. An' it was probably th' damn worst feelin' ya'd ever given me. Even worse than every insult, flamin' arrow; worse'n every dag-blasted second I didn't know ya were okay.

An' if it makes ya happy, I'll accept that.

I might hate ya for it till the day I die, Octavius.

But, m'sure you can accept that, too.

-Jededaiah


	2. Chapter 2

Greetings, Jededaiah,

You...ah...I mean...I haven't seen you near your diorama since...a few mornings ago-I apologize we parted ways in such a crude manner. Regardless, my soldiers claim you'd been out of sight from that time on, and Larry claims he hasn't heard tale of you-in fact, your entire diorama seems to have become discreet.

Well, it's not that it bother's me-what you do with your time is surely no business of mine, as I, too, have been absent of late, but...

Well, in honesty, I think you should know...

I suppose what I'm trying to say would be that...

I hate to interfere, but, honestly...

Well...

Ah...

I...

...I don't mean to object to your personal decisions or actions, truly, I don't! But...perhaps we can reunite and play that "fetch" game with Rex? I again do apologize for my absence and barbaric exit from your presence those days ago, and hope you will not hold it against me.

I simply had things I needed to figure out, and believe that we need to talk soon.

...We are, after all...best friends, correct?

-Octavius

**-o0o-**

Jededaiah...?

...You're upset with me.

I can understand that, and I would not hold that against you, not for a second. I must have done something that has offended you dearly, and I am deeply sorry.

Your men refuse to let me anywhere near your diorama-stating that the "momentary truce" has been recalled.

Surely they've misunderstood your orders.

You wouldn't have called off our...truce. We're still friends, Jededaiah, aren't we?

This couldn't be because you've...

...Have you found it out? Larry did mention this was a possibility, but...

Ah...no, it couldn't be.

I wouldn't put such a reaction past your culture, but you are above that. There is so much more to you than just your western upbringing.

I know it.

-Octavius

**-o0o-**

Jed, please.

Let us be reasonable.

I cannot well apologize for upsetting you so greatly if you refuse to come into sight and allow me to know what I've done! You'll find I'll be quick about making things up to you, as I am truly, truly sorry from the bottom of my heart.

Your men have been strictly denying me access to your diorama; I'm not suggesting this is a new behavior, but this is the longest you've waited to call them off...

They suggest it is about my absence. If such is true...

...It's simply the fact that I was absent, wasn't it? It was, correct?

You wouldn't have so strong a reaction to...the questions I left for, in search for answers. I know you, Jededaiah. I'm positive you're beyond that.

Please, tell me you're beyond that.

Your men assure me you've been receiving these letters, but I'm not positive in the slightest, as your men have never been terribly reliable.

I'll be visiting again tomorrow. I do hope we may settle this then.

You are my best friend, after all. Be expecting me?

-Octavius

**-o0o-**

Jededaiah Smith.

I've been informed-rather impolitely, I might add-that I am no longer welcome near you or your home place at anytime, or for any reason.

I suppose my letters and apologies weren't enough.

And, don't mistake me for bitter or noncompliant, Jededaiah. I can accept that choice with grace, and I will act accordingly. If you can make such a serious decision so easily...if such pleases you...then I truly hope you find your happiness.

I obviously couldn't hold it for you.

I'm quite alright with that. I'm not daft, Jededaiah. Not only did I assume as much, but Larry warned me well that in your time, people were less accepting.

I suppose...I thought you were more than just that vague outline of 'people'. I'm so sorry for that grave, grave mistake.

Because that is it, is it not? I can't say I have any idea what else it would be.

You learned. I suppose...someone must have told you. No, perhaps not. You're more intelligent than most give you credit for, Jededaiah. I realized that. I would like you to know that, above all else. It was because I knew you for you. I was enemies with the barbaric cowboy. I was acquaintances with the proud leader of your ranch. I was friends with the kind fellow I met with in your saloon. I was the best of friends with the courageous, gallant man I went on adventures through the museum with. I fell in love with the soul behind all of that, the well-meaning, eager man who would drive with me, and the curious and intelligent man who listened as I named constellations and we gazed at the sky before morning came. It wasn't gender. It wasn't desperation for fellow contact.

It was admiration for you; who you really were.

Or, who I assumed you were.

-Octavius


End file.
